thenhlfandomcom-20200215-history
Marian Gaborik
| birth_place = Trencin, Czechoslovakia | career_start = 1998 | draft_round = 1 | draft = 3rd overall | draft_year = 2000 | draft_team = Minnesota Wild | image = MGaborik.jpg | image_size = 230px }} Marian Gaborik (born on February 14, 1982) is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Marian began his career in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. After spending eight seasons in Minnesota before signing with the New York Rangers in 2009, he is the Wild's all-time leading scorer in goals and points. Internationally, he is a two-time Olympian with Slovakia and has won a bronze medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships. Playing Career Dukla Trencin Marian played with HC Dukla Trencin's junior team and scored 59 points over 36 games in 1997–98. That same season, he appeared in one Slovak Extraliga game with Dukla Trencin's men's team, scoring a goal in his professional debut. The following season in 1998–99, Marian joined Dukla Trencin in the Slovak Extraliga full-time and 20 points over 33 games as a rookie. Then, he improved to 46 points in 50 games the following season in his draft year. Minnesota Wild Marian was drafted by the Minnesota Wild with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft after Rick DiPietro and Dany Heatley. He immediately showed promise during his rookie season with the Wild, collecting 18 goals and 36 points for the expansion Wild. Marian elevated his game the following season, in 2001–02, notching his first 30-goal season and nearly doubling his rookie output to 67 points. On November 13, 2001, he also recorded his first NHL hat-trick near the beginning of the season. In 2002–03, Marian was named to his first NHL All-Star Game and won the fastest skater competition, lapping the rink in 13.713 seconds. Marian notched 30 goals for the second consecutive season, but more importantly helped lead the Wild to their first playoff appearance. He capped off his third NHL season with 17 points in 18 games as part of a run to the Western Conference Finals. Contractual issues kept Marian from starting the 2003–04 season with the Wild as his initial entry-level contract came to an end in the off-season. Holding out with HC Dukla Trenčín of the Slovak Extraliga, his agent Allan Walsh, asserted that Marian wouldn't take less than $6.5 million a year. After switching agents three times, Marian eventually agreed to a three-year, $10 million contract with the Wild on October 31, 2003. Despite being limited to 65 games that season, he recorded 18 goals and 40 points. Due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Marian returned to HC Dukla Trenčín where he dominated with 52 points in 29 games. He also saw time with Färjestads BK of the Elitserien. As NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Marian took another step forward, becoming a point-per-game player with 38 goals and 66 points in a 65-game season limited by a groin injury. His season was shortened once more the following season in 2006–07, re-injuring his groin on October 20, 2006, against the Anaheim Ducks. Despite a 10-14 day estimated recovery time, Marian didn't return to the lineup until January 6, 2007, against the Colorado Avalanche two-and-a-half months later. Although he missed 34 games, Marian still managed a second consecutive 30-goal season to go with 57 points overall. On December 20, 2007, Marian recorded a six-point game against the New York Rangers with five goals and an assist. This made him the first player in Wild history to score five goals in a game as well as the first NHLer since Sergei Fedorov of the Detroit Red Wings did so 11 years earlier (on December 26, 1996, versus the Washington Capitals). At mid-season, Marian was chosen to his second NHL All-Star Game and would go on to record personal bests of 42 goals, 41 assists and 83 points. He finished his career year as team captain for the Wild in March of 2008. It was the first time in Marian's career he was chosen as part of the team's monthly rotating captaincy. Entering the final year of his contract with the Wild in 2008–09, the Wild began negotiations early to re-sign Marian. A 10-year, $80 million deal was turned down by him and the Wild consequently began entertaining trade offers from NHL teams. Marian's playing time with the Wild was limited in his final year after being sidelined early in the season with a lower-body injury before undergoing hip surgery in January of 2009. He returned to the lineup on March 21, 2009, against the Edmonton Oilers and finished the season with 23 points in 17 games. Marian was unable to sign a new contract with the Wild in the 2009 off-season. He left the Wild after eight seasons as its last original player and as the club's all-time leader in goals, assists and points. New York Rangers Leading up to the free agency period, Marian was speculated to have interest in signing with the Vancouver Canucks after "The Province" reported that he had recently bought a home in West Vancouver in the 2009 off-season. Nevertheless, Marian signed as an unrestricted free agent with the New York Rangers on the first day of free agency on July 1, 2009. The Rangers signed him to a reported $37.5 million over five years. Marian got off to a quick start with his new club, scoring 10 goals in his first 12 games. Nearly a month into the season, he suffered from a knee injury after colliding with former Ranger Petr Prucha in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes on October 26, 2009. Marian missed two games, including what would have been his first game back in Minnesota against the Wild. He was injured for a second time in the season when his right leg was cut by team goaltender Henrik Lundqvist during a team practice on February 9, 2010. Though the Rangers missed the playoffs, Marian did not disappoint in his first season with the team. He played in 76 games, matching his career high with 42 goals and set a new career high in points with 86. Marian's second season with the Rangers (2010–11) was hampered by injury. Just three games into the season, he suffered a shoulder injury after receiving an illegal boarding hit in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The injury caused Marian to miss nearly a month and upon his return, it limited his playing style, which relies on his tremendous wrist shot. Perhaps due to lingering effects from his various ailments, Marian proved a streaky scorer throughout the season and finished with 22 goals and 26 assists in 62 games, though 12 of those goals came in four games. Marian's best game of the season was on January 19, 2011 when he scored four goals and an assist in a 7-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the first time since Marian had joined the team, The Rangers qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-2 win over the rival New Jersey Devils in the final game of the season. He contributed an assist on the game-winning goal, and a +2 rating during the game. On January 29, 2012, he was named the MVP of the 59th NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa. On May 3, 2012 (shortly after midnight), Marian scored a triple-overtime game winner against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, ending one of the longest playoff games in New York Rangers history. On the commencement of the lockout shortened 2012–13 NHL lockout, Marian (who remained idle during the dispute) struggled to recapture his previous scoring pace with New York. Whilst in the penultimate year of his contract and with the addition of Rick Nash to the Rangers contributing to his expendability, Marian was subject to trade rumours. Columbus Blue Jackets After scoring 9 goals in 35 games, Marian was dealt at the trade deadline on April 3, 2013, along with minor league players Blake Parlett and Steven Delisle to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore and a sixth-round pick. The following night, he made his debut with the Blue Jackets and immediately made an impact, scoring the game-winning goal and having an assist in a victory over the Nashville Predators. During the 2013-14 NHL season, Marian scored for Columbus in their opening game, a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames. Career Statistics International Statistics Awards & Achievements *Selected to three NHL All-Star Games (2003, 2008 and 2012) *Named MVP of the 2012 NHL All-Star Game International Play }} Personal Life Marian has used his success to benefit Slovak ice hockey and player development. In 2005, he opened his ice rink Arena Mariána Gáboríka in his native city of Trenčín, Slovakia at a personal cost of approximately 50 million Slovak crowns. The ice rink provides the opportunity to both learn how to skate as well as play ice hockey for local youth and also contains both a full fitness center for off-ice conditioning and accommodations so that participants in programs may stay overnight. The rink earned the distinction of "2005 Construction of the Yea''r" in Trenčín. Beginning in 2009, Marian's ice rink has also begun offering a hockey school program. Of the rink, Marian says: "''ARENA MG represents the fulfilment of one of my dreams. It was in Trenčín where I took my first ice-hockey steps, where I learned the first zigzags and shot my first goals. I am thankful for this opportunity and in order to give thanks for what ice hockey gave me, I also wanted to help other boys and girls and create conditions to help fulfil their sports dreams." Marian spends a lot of personal time pursuing this endeavor during the offseason as he personally attends each of his hockey school's summer camp sessions to meet the campers and pose for photographs. He has also founded the Marian Gaborik Foundation which also supports his mission of expanding access to youth hockey in Slovakia. Category:1982 births Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players Category:Minnesota Wild draft picks Category:Minnesota Wild players Category:New York Rangers players